Okay so I took a few lazy days but as you must have guessed by now I do that a lot. So lets reply to some reviews give props to DC and move along with the story.

Mint Chocolate Chip: Well he had to have a mental break down sometime it was all just building up. Besides I made him trendy what more do ya want from me?

: Yes, we all enjoy a good joke against Marcus, just makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. The next answer is yes, yes it is very wrong, but that's what makes it so right. Couldn't figure out which facebook you were talking about though. And I totally agree with the reviews comment.

Hells Twilight: Why thankyou, I am a clever person…aren't I….LMFAO just fuckin with ya. But yes thank you I at least make an effort at it.

Now. The props going to DC are the table model of the town from the movie Beatle Juice, Freddy's hat, and the noose from Robin Hood: Men in Tights that was around Robin Hood's neck. Congratulations!

Chapter 18

Marcus opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a small garage that had stuff just scattered about. He was tied to a support beam sitting down. The door started to open and the Joker appeared almost dancing with the little bitch skipping up behind him. Who where these people!?

Wait, she introduced herself as Artemis Napier, could she be a relative of his? And what was it the Joker wanted with him? He had a feeling that all answers were about to be answered. A window opened and the hippie boy climbed in with the taller one coming in through the side door.

"Dude, why not use the door," asked the tall one.

"Cause he is afraid of door knobs," mumbled the bitch. The Stoner didn't look to have much to say about his reasons. Marcus looked over at the Joker who's attention was solely on him. Marcus didn't know what was going on but he wasn't going to sit there quietly.

"What in the name of God could I have possibly done to have you through all this trouble of kidnapping me out of jail," shouted Marcus. The Joker's mouth twitched. That voice rang in his ears like an angry rush of wind just waiting to knock a few people down until the storm felt the need to finally settle. Leaving the victim of such anger on the ground completely deprived of whatever it was they had left. Yes, these where the unhappy thoughts plaguing the Jokers mind, he didn't like to think anything but happy thoughts, this man had to go.

The Joker pulled out oen of his switch blades and walked toward Marcus. He was barely two inches away from Marcus's face as he drug the blade across his shoulder and spoke to him very slowly. "You wanna know how I got my scars," he hissed. Marcus looked up at the Joker, it was the first time he ever got an up close look at him. The wicked scars brought back a painful memory from when he was drinking. He could almost see the whole scene playing in his head. They fight between him and Jack, the kitchen knife, Mona on the ground bleeding and his son crawling out of the door and down the street to his home with his face cut wide open.

His own voice from that night rung in his head as his 24 year old son tried to fight back to protect Mona. "Why so seriou-s" . When he did not answer the Joker, the Joker slowly stood up and backed up about ten feet. "So," said the Joker, "who wants a shot at him first, hmm?"

"ME," demanded the stoner eagerly jumping up and down.

"No way, me," argued the taller one who Marcus now recognized as the one who hit him.

"You already got to get a shot in," argued the stoner.

"He's right," said the bitch, "you did get to put a shot in already."

"So did you," argued the tall one.

"I know that, Damian, I did it on the news like twice, remember," she snarled, "let Joey have a go." Joey grabbed a hold of a fold up chair and smashed him across the face with it. Joey dropped it and walked backwards with a big smile on his face.

The Joker and his Circus laughed as Marcus turned his head back to their direction and blood dripped from his mouth. He felt a bruise begin to settle on the side of his face. "Jack," he whispered. The Joker stopped laughing. His face grew angry. He walked up to his father and stuck his blade in Marcus's side. Marcus cried out in pain. "Jack is, uh, dead," he hissed. Marcus felt his sons hot putrid breath on his face but it was nothing compared to the pain in his side. The Joker stood back again and the girl ran up and kicked him square in the nose. Blood began to spew out as he fell backwards. The girl lifted him back up and he spat blood in her face.

The Joker walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Oh, uh, dad, let me introduce to you your granddaughter Artemis. The last time you saw her she was still in her momma's belly. Remember? Well, she's a big kid, about 16 now, and I, uh, just found her two months ago." He had the most twisted smile on his face. Marcus looked up at his granddaughter. His painful expression turned to one of defiance. If he was going to die via torture he might as well make every hit count, right?

"You know, Artemis, is it, you remind me a little of Mona. She was a pretty young thing but the most cold hearted bitch I ever met. " Artemis climbed on top of him and proceeded to hit him with the hit of her knife in the face as hard as she damn well pleased. Finally the Joker pulled her off and she continued to thrash about. "Yea, you remind me of your dad to! Anytime something doesn't go your way you throw a violent tantrum and wonder why everyone hates you. Artemis stopped and thought for a moment.

She remembered something Harleen had told her once on facebook about her aggression. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and calm down. Put yourself in a good place.

Artemis closed her eyes and put herself in a different place, her world, where the reality didn't exist, and her every nerve relaxed and she was no longer struggling to kill Marcus to death. The Joker let her go and stepped back. Artemis took her deep breath and smiled. She opened her eyes and looked at Marcus.

"Marcus, you remind me of my mother, tied to a chair and still talking shit," she said with an evil smile. She was reminded of a time her mother had been tied to a chair by one of her many husbands. Marcus was not really sure how to respond so he didn't. He just blinked at her a few times. Then the boy called Damian came up behind the Joker.

"My turn," he said holding a paintball gun. The others stood back so as not to get paint on themselves and Damian aimed the paint gun right at his knee cap. Damian pulled the trigger and a sickening crack was heard and Marcus's gasp of pian. "Wow," said Damian, "that was awesome. He pointed the gun at his own foot. The other four watched to see if he was actually going to do it. Damian pulled the trigger and nothing happened.

"Dammit," said Joey.

"Damian, you need to , uh, make sure that you reload before leaving," snapped the Joker.

"Really, Damian," said Artemis shaking her head.

"Quick, were do you get paintball stuff this late at night," asked Damina.

"The super market," said Artemis, "where is one at?"

"On the corner of 15th and Spooner," said Joker. Damian quickly dashed out in slow motion with theme music.

"I just think that's the coolest thing," said Artemis.

"Yea, you know I heard that batman is doing it to," said Marcus watching him go.

"Yea, you know he is also doing the blotchy cloths thing," said Joey.

"Didn't, uh, Brucy start that one," asked the Joker.

"Yea, you know his house burnt down and the news said it was us but it, uh, wasn't us," said Artemis.

"No shit," said Marcus, "who was it?"

"I have no idea," said Joey, "but I left the house that day and people were all point and whispering and shit and I heard someone was like 'hey, he set fire to Wayne Manor' and I was like 'what the fuck' and had to like look it up online."

"I don't remember that being on the news," said the Joker, "musta missed it in Harleen's therapy session." He started to giggle to himself.

"So, like, when's batman due to show up," asked Marcus.

"When he or GPD find out where our, uh, hideout is," said the Joker.

"How long does that normally take," asked Artemis. The Joker started to laugh.

"It won't," he said, "trust me, Batsy never found my hiding places before."

……………………………………………..

Batman kicked in the door and walked in to look around. It looked like they took the essentials and left. Obviously they were here at one point though, the TV was on, someone ate half a fruit roll-up and gas on the stove was on….wait….

Batman felt his eyes start to slowly close and felt himself wable about the room and itno the hall. Someone in the hall spotted him and ran over. "Sir, are you okay," asked the man.

"Gas leak, in the apartment," gasped batman. The man's face fell and he dropped batman on the ground and started knocking on doors and telling people to get out of the building. A bigger man picked up batman and carried him out. Soon as everyone was out of the building they called up 911.

Batman was sent to a hospital under secrecy. No one was aloud in the room except a few select people. Gordon heard that he was aloud in that room. Turns out batman had more problems than a gas leak. Gordon held his breath standing at the door, he would learn who batman really was.

……………………………………………..

The Joker was growing board of this. The four of them had beaten this man to a pulp and he could tell that he others wanted something else to do. It was time to end it. The Joker pulled out his switch blade and walked over to his father. He looked the man in the eyes for the last time….again.

"Jack," Marcus whispered, "I'm sorry." The Joker eyed him for a moment. He lowered himself to his fathers face.

"You are sorry, because you are about to die, and you know it. Redemption is what you want," the Joker just shook his head, "Forgiveness and Redemption are not welcome here, only acceptance of what is and what will be." He plunged the knife in the mans chest.

His last dying words where:

"I love you Jack."

………………………………………

Whatever it was Marcus said it upset the Joker greatly. He stormed out of the room and jumped in the van and drove off. He did not say anything to the other three. He figured if he didn't say anything they might go away for the night so he could be left alone when he finally got back.

Artemis went on the computer and looked through files from other computers. She got up and left outside grabbing her purple cowboy hat, long black coat, her new sawed off shot gun, and a few knives. Joey and Damian watched her go and looked at each other.

"Want to go trash some Christmas decorations," suggested Damian.

"I'm down," said Joey.

…………………………………..

Artemis hitch hiked a ride with a trucker. "Where you headed miss," asked the truck driver. He was an older gentleman with a grey beard, rather thin for a trucker, and kind eyes. Artemis smiled and walked over to his door. She swung it open and dragged the man out. He fell to the ground and got up and pulled a gun out. "Now listen, missy, you may be a girl, but I ain't about to let you just take my truck, ya here?"

"Yea, I here," she said mimicking his country accent, "but I ain't the kinda girl to be lettin' no big bad man tell me what to do. Honey, this here is my truck." She climbed up and shot the man through the window. He dropped dead and she drove the semi to Gotham City Hospital.

She drove down the road with her foot up on her dash driving along down the street with the sun shining in her face with sun glasses. Her outfit of choice for this adventure? A black button up shirt with the top two buttons undone and it hung messily on her thin frame, and a bright green plaid skirt with a pair of black cowboy boots. Her lipstick was blood red and she had a red tear drop draw in the corner of her eye, she was thinking about making it a tattoo, with dark eye shadow. She took the sexy cowgirl clown to a whole new level.

Cowgirl clown, she liked it, why not? Her father was the Clown Prince of Crime after all. Aw well, the public already had an image for her, it was the Ringleader, maybe one day when she went solo. The early morning sun was almost up and the cool air was turning a bit warmer and a police car sped passed her with the sirens going off and swerving around in the road. Artemis turned on the CB radio.

'Hey," she said, "you in the cop car!"

"Heelllooo," said the familiar voice.

"Joker," she said, "how did you get that car?"

"It's a, uh, long story sweetheart," he said.

"Oh, another time then?"

"Yes," he said.

"Well, where are ya headed?"

"Heeheehee nu-uh, you gotta wait to watch the news doll," he said.

"Oh, well, okay."

"Where, uh, are yea anyway?"

"I'm in the diesel truck you just passed," she said. She saw the Joker lean out the driver window and look at her. She leaned out the truck window now swerving about as well, and waved and he waved back.

"So, ah, you decide to ditch the villain gig and get a job carting Coke-Cola around?"

"Yup, that's exactly it," she said. The Joker could be heard laughing on the other end, "if you can be a pig with a badge I can be a trucker."

The Joker laughed a bit more then cut off the conversation. She leaned her head back and turned on the country music and jammed out on the way to Gotham. When she finally arrived she made her scheduled shipments and when she finished it was growing dark out.

"Man," she said pulling out a bottle of Coke, "this is actually hard work. Need to talk to the boss tomorrow about a raise." She walked into the hospital as if she belonged there. She saw that the select few were sitting in the waiting room and Gordon was walking in the door now. Artemis looked up and saw a camera that was pointing in the other direction. She saw the other cameras were swerving about slowly keeping an eye on everything.

Artemis quietly picked up a chair and set it under an air vent. When all cameras were everywhere but on her she quickly climbed up and got into the vent. Thank god the ceiling was low on this part of the wall. She climbed up and over to what she guessed was batmans room. Gordon was standing at the curtain and slowly opened it.

"Bruce Wayne," he breathed, "you're batman?"

"Yes," said Bruce weakly, "I trust you enough to let you know. They aren't where we thought, Gordon, they are somewhere else. I don't know where but when I get out I will find them."

"Slow down," said Gordon, "focus on rest now. We will hold things off the best we can until batman is healthy enough to start fighting again. Lucius is working on something that will better help you detect gas's in the area. He figured that you seem to get attacted with them often enough." Bruce chuckled a bit.

"Remember, if the media asks, I'm nobody," he said.

"I know. You are some nameless guy off the street," finished Gordon, "it's just. I can't believe batman doesn't know how to do his own laundry."

"Alright get out," said Bruce, "I'll be back on the streets when I'm well." Gordon just smiled at him. Bruce smiled back, he knew Gordon meant no harm, but still. Gordon got up to leave but stopped at the doorway. Artemis almost sighed with annoyance. Couldn't he just leave already? "Bruce," he said, "one more thing. Thank you."

"For what," he asked.

"For everything,' he said, "I know you feel like no one appreciates what you do, but we do, we really do. The world is just in such panic right now they don't realize how much they really do need you." With that Gordon turned around and left. Bruce was left speechless. The question of why he ever bothered being batman was practically answered for him. He did it for them, for the people, he did it for the innocents of Gotham who work hard every day to try and make the world a little less evil. To give them hope, and a light in the darkness. They needed him as an example that you should not be afraid to stand up for your fellow man.

Artemis didn't get it nor did she care. She pulled the vent up and crawled into Bruces room. She started to hum circus music in an almost angelic way as she walked around the curtain that had batman on the other side. Bruce felt his heart stop for a moment.

Artemis smiled with delight as the heart monitor missed a beat. He was scared. She quickly opened the curtains and looked Bruce Wayne in the eyes. Bruce shivered a bit, so much of the Joker in her tortured soul, yet he could see a bit of humanity in her, maybe he could save her? No, not likely.

"Bruce Wayne is Gotham's Dark Knight? Well, well, well." She laughed cruelly. "You know, you were so good as to come visit me in the hospital that I figured I would do the same. She plopped down in the chair next to Bruce on his right. He flinched back a bit. She gave him a small smile. "I'm not here to hurt you," she said softly, "actually the Joker doesn't want you out of the picture. Batman I mean. Don't even worry."

"How do I know this isn't a trick," he asked. She swiveled in the chair a bit and looked down at her cowboy boots.

"Honestly, Bruce, if I was going to hurt you I would have done so by now, to let you know that you were going to get hurt. You know, start things off on the right track, no confusion."

"You have let the Joker take over you," he said. Artemis pulled out some cards and put the bed table over Bruce. She shuffled the deck and passed out cards.

"Do you know how to play Gin Rummy," she asked. Batman nodded his head and picked up the card. "I did let the Joker take over my sanity but to be honest it has been waiting to happen for years."

"What do you mean," he asked, still eyeing her and his cards.

"Well, my mother was a prostitute and a drug addict," she said, "people who grow up in that environment aren't really, uh, the winners in life." Bruce nodded a bit and made his move. It was Artemis's turn.

"So why are you here," he asked, "if you don't want to kill me then what do you want?"

"Just want to get away from the craziness for a moment. I do enjoy it but I still need a sane conversation. And to be perfectly honest I need a break from everyone else. The Joker is constantly up and on the move. Damian is a bit dull at times. He is just so competitive sometimes. Joey, oh Joey, lord knows if I didn't have him to baby sit I wouldn't know what to do."

"You do a bad job," commented Bruce. Artemis laughed at him. "You don't seem to be too worried about fighting the insanity."

"No," she said, "for the first time I feel real freedom. I've been locked up in a cage for so long I never knew freedom. I just feel alive."

"Ever thought of fighting for the other side," suggested Bruce.

"Uh, don't get me wrong Bruce, we are not friends, I just need some chill time is all. Need to kick back and stop being the enemy for a minute. This whole scene is completely under the table."

"Of course," said Bruce, "Gin!" Bruce shuffled the deck this time and passed out the cards.


Okay so after Batman's spazz attack I gave him some good moments here but it was starting to look like he was going to turn away from being the hero and we can't have that.